Immunological studies with a monoclonal antibody suggest a different conformation of neurophysin in parvicellular neurons of rat hypothalamus.
A monoclonal antibody (mAb L6) to a carcinoma surface antigen has previously been shown to recognize neurophysins (NP), proteins associated with oxytocin and vasopressin. L6-reactivity in rat hypothalamus was confined to magnocellular neuronal systems. No staining was detected in parvicellular suprachiasmatic or paraventricular systems. mAb L6 immunoprecipitated vasopressin-neurophysin only under reducing conditions, and detected it in Western blots only after gel-renaturation and electroblotting in basic buffer. These findings suggest L6-reactivity to NP is conformation-sensitive, and imply NP expression in a unique configurational form in hypothalamic parvicellular systems.
Nilaver
G
G
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201.
Rosenbaum
L C
LC
Van Tol
H H
HH
Shannon
E M
EM
Hagman
H M
HM
Zimmerman
E A
EA
Neuwelt
E A
EA
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000166:cytology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009481:Neurophysins / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D009481:Neurophysins